List of colonial governors of Sierra Leone
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This is a list of colonial administrators in Sierra Leone from the establishment of the Province of Freedom Colony by the Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor which lasted between 1787 and 1789 and the list of colonial administrators of the Colony of Sierra Leone and the settlement of Freetown established by the Sierra Leone Company in March 1792 until Sierra Leone's independence in 1961.
Administrator (1787) of the Granville Town Settlement
On 14 May 1787, the Province of Freedom was founded by the Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor for freed slaves.
B. Thompson (14 May – September 1787)
Governor (1787–1789) of the Granville Town Settlement
On 22 August 1788, the Province of Freedom and land along the Freetown peninsula was granted to Captain John Taylor of HMS Miro. In 1789, it was abandoned.
John Taylor (August 1788 – 1789)
Agent (1791–1792) of the new Granville Town Settlement
In January 1791, the Granville Town was restored by the St. George Bay Company.
Alexander Falconbridge (January 1791 – March 1792)
Superintendent (1792) of the Colony of Sierra Leone and settlement of Freetown
In 1792, Freetown was founded as the main town of the newly established Colony of Sierra Leone
John Clarkson (March – July 1792)
Governors (1792–1827) of the Colony of Sierra Leone
John Clarkson (July – 31 December 1792)
William Dawes (31 December 1792 – March 1794) (1st time)
Zachary Macaulay (March 1794 – 6 May 1795) (1st time)
William Dawes (6 May 1795 – March 1796) (2nd time)
Zachary Macaulay (March 1796 – April 1799) (2nd time)
John Gray (April – May 1799) (1st time)
On 5 July 1799, the Province of Freedom was renamed Sierra Leone.
Thomas Ludlam (May 1799 – 1800) (1st time)
John Gray (1800 – January 1801) (2nd time)
William Dawes (January 1801 – February 1803) (3rd time)
William Day (February 1803 – 1803) (1st time)
Thomas Ludlam (1803–1805) (2nd time)
William Day (1805 – 4 November 1805) (2nd time)
On 1 January 1808, Sierra Leone (including coastal area) becomes Crown colony of the United Kingdom, and Sierra Leone Company rule was ended.
Thomas Ludlam (1806 – 21 July 1808) (3rd time, acting to 1 January 1808)
Thomas Perronet Thompson (21 July 1808 – 12 February 1810)
Edward H. Columbine (12 February 1810 – May 1811)
Robert Bones (May – 1 July 1811) (acting)
Charles William Maxwell (1 July 1811 – July 1815)
Charles MacCarthy (July – December 1814) (1st time, acting for Maxwell)
J. Mailing (December 1814 – January 1815) (acting for Maxwell)
R. Purdie (January – March 1815) (acting for Maxwell)
William Appleton (March – June 1815) (acting for Maxwell)
Captain Henry Barry Hyde (June – July 1815) (acting for Maxwell)
Charles MacCarthy (from 1820, Sir Charles Macarthy) (July 1815 – July 1820) (2nd time, acting to 1 January 1816)
Sir Alexander Grant (28 July 1820 – 1 February 1821) (1st time, acting)
E. Burke (1 February 1821 – 4 February 1821) (acting)
On 17 October 1821, Sierra Leone territory becomes part of British West African Territories. Its Governorship was held simultaneously by Governor (from 1827 until 1837 Lieutenant governor) of Sierra Leone.
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